Prospects dim for AgJOBs, USDA secretary tells United meeting
Prospects dim for AgJOBs, USDA secretary tells United meeting
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns did not have good news to share about the prospects of attaching a guest worker reform bill to the 2007 farm bill or when Congress would next find the political fortitude to revisit the issue.
Kicking off the United Fresh Produce Association's annual Washington Public Policy Conference on Sept. 13, Secretary Johanns commented on plans to add AgJOBs to the Senate version of the farm bill as a measure to relieve the worsening labor crisis.
"I think that's very hard to do, just to be very honest with you. It would be especially difficult if it doesn't really address all the problems we have with immigration, and there are many problems with the current immigration system," he said at the conference.
If not this year, Secretary Johanns, who is weighing whether to enter the race for an open Senate seat in Nebraska, predicted that the industry would have to wait beyond 2009 before the issue would be taken up in Congress. Even then, he suggested, the issue might not be a popular choice to advocate during the first year of a new administration.
Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), a major proponent of AgJOBs, may try to attach a guest worker reform bill to annual appropriation bills, which have yet to be wrapped up by the Senate and sent to President Bush. Even though AgJOBs has passed the Senate before, experts predict it will be a tougher sell now, as critics continue to oppose the "amnesty" provisions and say they prefer comprehensive reform to piecemeal legislation.
Secretary Johanns warned the group to look closely at the fine print on any Senate deal being forged on the farm bill, stressing the importance of mandatory funding for specialty crop programs. The House-passed version of the bill included $1.6 billion in mandatory funding over five years to expand the Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program to all 50 states, increase state specialty crop competitiveness grants, and boost trade assistance, market promotion and disease prevention programs.
"Discretionary funding in Washington these days, I just don't think you'd ever get funded," he said. "So if you start seeing a farm bill headed your way that has dollars and cents attached to it and it's on discretionary funding, I'll just be honest with you, I don't think you're going to see the money."
He added, "I've said before that creating a farm bill is a little bit like running a marathon, and right now we're in the marathon but we have quite a few miles to go."
The timing could not be better for more than 250 United Fresh members from over 30 states who visited congressional offices to say they wanted more from the Senate architects of the farm bill. The yearly visits with congressional staff are a major thrust of the Sept. 12-14 Washington Public Policy Conference, and this year the priorities focused on immigration reform, farm bill renewal, science-based food safety laws and access to fruits and vegetables in federal nutrition programs.
Newly elected United Fresh Chairman Emanuel Lazopoulos of Del Monte Fresh Produce said that he was proud of the more than 20 teams of business leaders who visited congressional offices asking for short-term and long- term solutions to key issues.
"The visits to congressional offices represent some of the most important work the industry does all year," said United Fresh Senior Vice President Robert Guenther. Double the number of WPPC attendees signed up for this year's Advocacy & Grassroots Seminar, the Sept. 12 session that offered tips on better communicating the group's message on Capitol Hill, he said.
Despite the tough outlook for immigration reform, Mr. Guenther said that the group cannot give up and must "continue to beat the drum." On the farm bill, he predicted that the Senate would at least match the House funding level for specialty crops, but it all depends on the bill's financing scheme.
One of the priorities for the industry on Capitol Hill this year was to urge senators to join more than 20 other senators who signed a draft letter penned by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), asking for $3.2 billion for specialty crop programs in the farm bill, double the amount agreed to by the House. The House-passed version represents only half of the total funds needed to meet the industry's critical needs, said the letter to top Senate leaders.
"It deserves its fair share of support," said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Charles Conner, referring to specialty crops and their role in the farm bill. Speaking at the newly added National Watermelon Association-sponsored session at USDA headquarters, he said that the House-passed farm bill "offered a good amount of support for specialty crops," although smaller than the Bush administration's version.
Concerning watermelons, he said that the USDA has worked to promote market access for watermelons and made progress in battling a crippling watermelon vine disease. Researchers also are having success breeding watermelons to alter the nutrient content and to introduce low-sugar varieties.
Kicking off the United Fresh Produce Association's annual Washington Public Policy Conference on Sept. 13, Secretary Johanns commented on plans to add AgJOBs to the Senate version of the farm bill as a measure to relieve the worsening labor crisis.
"I think that's very hard to do, just to be very honest with you. It would be especially difficult if it doesn't really address all the problems we have with immigration, and there are many problems with the current immigration system," he said at the conference.
If not this year, Secretary Johanns, who is weighing whether to enter the race for an open Senate seat in Nebraska, predicted that the industry would have to wait beyond 2009 before the issue would be taken up in Congress. Even then, he suggested, the issue might not be a popular choice to advocate during the first year of a new administration.
Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), a major proponent of AgJOBs, may try to attach a guest worker reform bill to annual appropriation bills, which have yet to be wrapped up by the Senate and sent to President Bush. Even though AgJOBs has passed the Senate before, experts predict it will be a tougher sell now, as critics continue to oppose the "amnesty" provisions and say they prefer comprehensive reform to piecemeal legislation.
Secretary Johanns warned the group to look closely at the fine print on any Senate deal being forged on the farm bill, stressing the importance of mandatory funding for specialty crop programs. The House-passed version of the bill included $1.6 billion in mandatory funding over five years to expand the Fruit & Vegetable Snack Program to all 50 states, increase state specialty crop competitiveness grants, and boost trade assistance, market promotion and disease prevention programs.
"Discretionary funding in Washington these days, I just don't think you'd ever get funded," he said. "So if you start seeing a farm bill headed your way that has dollars and cents attached to it and it's on discretionary funding, I'll just be honest with you, I don't think you're going to see the money."
He added, "I've said before that creating a farm bill is a little bit like running a marathon, and right now we're in the marathon but we have quite a few miles to go."
The timing could not be better for more than 250 United Fresh members from over 30 states who visited congressional offices to say they wanted more from the Senate architects of the farm bill. The yearly visits with congressional staff are a major thrust of the Sept. 12-14 Washington Public Policy Conference, and this year the priorities focused on immigration reform, farm bill renewal, science-based food safety laws and access to fruits and vegetables in federal nutrition programs.
Newly elected United Fresh Chairman Emanuel Lazopoulos of Del Monte Fresh Produce said that he was proud of the more than 20 teams of business leaders who visited congressional offices asking for short-term and long- term solutions to key issues.
"The visits to congressional offices represent some of the most important work the industry does all year," said United Fresh Senior Vice President Robert Guenther. Double the number of WPPC attendees signed up for this year's Advocacy & Grassroots Seminar, the Sept. 12 session that offered tips on better communicating the group's message on Capitol Hill, he said.
Despite the tough outlook for immigration reform, Mr. Guenther said that the group cannot give up and must "continue to beat the drum." On the farm bill, he predicted that the Senate would at least match the House funding level for specialty crops, but it all depends on the bill's financing scheme.
One of the priorities for the industry on Capitol Hill this year was to urge senators to join more than 20 other senators who signed a draft letter penned by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), asking for $3.2 billion for specialty crop programs in the farm bill, double the amount agreed to by the House. The House-passed version represents only half of the total funds needed to meet the industry's critical needs, said the letter to top Senate leaders.
"It deserves its fair share of support," said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Charles Conner, referring to specialty crops and their role in the farm bill. Speaking at the newly added National Watermelon Association-sponsored session at USDA headquarters, he said that the House-passed farm bill "offered a good amount of support for specialty crops," although smaller than the Bush administration's version.
Concerning watermelons, he said that the USDA has worked to promote market access for watermelons and made progress in battling a crippling watermelon vine disease. Researchers also are having success breeding watermelons to alter the nutrient content and to introduce low-sugar varieties.
